Parts for your 2020 Subaru Outback-Steering bushes

2020 Subaru Outback steering bushes — are they used?

Short answer: steering bushes aren’t a separate, serviceable item on the 2020 Subaru Outback. Subaru’s factory service information for the 2020 Outback (Steering/Electric Power Steering section) and the Subaru electronic parts catalogue for the BT-chassis Outback both show the electric steering rack mounted directly to the front crossmember without replaceable rack-mount bushes. The column support and intermediate shaft use bearings and joints, not rubber bushes, and the rack assembly is serviced as a unit rather than with separate mounting insulators.

Why it’s set up this way comes down to the Subaru Global Platform. The 2020 Outback’s stiffer body and crossmember let Subaru bolt the electric power steering rack more rigidly for sharper response and better on-centre feel. NVH is tuned through the rack design and crossmember, not through soft, replaceable bushes like you might find on older hydraulic rack setups. That’s why you won’t see “steering bushes” listed in the parts catalogue or routine service schedule for this model.

If there’s free play or a clunk that feels like worn bushes, it’s usually one of these instead:

• Inner or outer tie-rod wear
• Intermediate steering shaft universal joint play
• Loose or incorrectly torqued rack-to-crossmember fasteners
• Front suspension issues (e.g., control arm bushes) being felt through the steering

Good practice for Aussie and Kiwi owners is to have the steering and front suspension checked at regular services or every 20,000 km—especially if the car sees corrugations, unsealed roads, or plenty of urban speed humps. There’s no power steering fluid to top up on this model, so inspections focus on mechanical play, boot condition, bolt torque, and alignment.

Repair-wise, workshops follow the factory procedure: confirm torque on the rack mounts, check the intermediate shaft, and test inner/outer tie-rods. If the rack itself has internal wear or housing movement, the remedy is replacement of the steering gear assembly, then a wheel alignment. Always follow the service manual for one-time-use fasteners and torque specs.

Popular questions

Does a 2020 Subaru Outback have steering rack bushes to replace?
Not as separate parts. The factory service manual and Subaru parts listings show the electric steering rack mounted to the crossmember without serviceable bushes. If there’s play, technicians inspect tie-rods, the intermediate shaft, and rack fasteners, and replace the rack assembly if required.

What symptoms feel like bad steering bushes on a 2020 Outback?
Common signs include a clunk over bumps, vague steering, or notchiness at the wheel. On this model, that’s more likely tie-rod wear, an intermediate shaft joint issue, or loose mounting bolts rather than failed bushes.

How is steering play fixed if there are no bushes?
A workshop will check and replace worn tie-rods, inspect the intermediate shaft, verify rack bolt torque, and if the rack has internal wear, replace the complete steering gear. A wheel alignment finishes the job.